


A midnight's poem

by Darkrimmedeyes (Doggo_with_a_bloggo), Doggo_with_a_bloggo



Category: Thor (Comics), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Angst and Feels, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Arranged Marriage, Elves, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Falling In Love, Genderfluid Loki (Marvel), Height Differences, Jotunn Loki (Marvel), LGBTQ Character, LGBTQ Female Character, Lesbian Character, Loki (Marvel) Feels, No Lesbians Die, Older Woman/Younger Woman, Original Character(s), Sapphic September, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Slow To Update, Sweet Loki (Marvel), True Love, comp het, Álfheimr | Alfheim
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-29
Updated: 2020-10-21
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:14:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,585
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26721229
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Doggo_with_a_bloggo/pseuds/Darkrimmedeyes, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Doggo_with_a_bloggo/pseuds/Doggo_with_a_bloggo
Summary: It was supposed to be easy, marry the first man that she found suitable but when Fleur sets eyes on the goddess of mischief everything changes and suddenly she's faced with feelings she never felt before, though can she trust them?"Well now really when we go back into falling in love. And say, it's crazy. Falling. You see? We don't say "rising into love". There is in it, the idea of the fall. And it goes back, as a matter of fact, to extremely fundamental things. That there is always a curious tie at some point between the fall and the creation. Taking this ghastly risk is the condition of there being life. You see, for all life is an act of faith and an act of gamble. The moment you take a step, you do so on an act of faith because you don't really know that the floor's not going to give under your feet. The moment you take a journey, what an act of faith. The moment that you enter into any kind of human undertaking in relationship, what an act of faith. See, you've given yourself up. But this is the most powerful thing that can be done: surrender. See. And love is an act of surrender to another person." - Allan Watts, Falling into love
Relationships: Lady Loki/Original Female Character (s), Loki (Marvel)/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 8





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I don't see much Lesbian representation in the marvel fandom so I wanted to contribute my own story of self-acceptance and suddenly realizing your truth.

Marriage. 

The dreadful word had been stuck in Fleur's mind for months now, constantly reminding her that her life wasn't hers anymore. Her parents took that freedom from her. Not that she could have done anything against it. The moment it was confirmed that her mother was pregnant with a girl her fate was sealed, it was as simple as that. 

Adjusting the waistband of her dress she looked herself over in the mirror, usually, she loved dressing up, styling her short curly hair, and matching the colors to it's light red but not like this. She hated prettying herself up for others, it made her feel like some object to be gawked at. Not like any of her potential husbands would care, all she’d be good for would be to get them the throne, have babies, and be their pretty little trophy. The thought made her feel sick. 

She sighed, she looked perfect. Her parents would be pleased and hopefully so would be the Asgardian royal family. Fleur remembered how excited her mother and father were when Odin invited them to his kingdom. The mighty Thor had shown interest in their daughter and how could they refuse the crown prince and god of thunder? Exactly they couldn't, and wouldn't. Her bags had already been packed and her carriage was ready, she couldn't stretch it out anymore, it was time to meet her potential future husband.

  
  


“Don't look so glum, The Odinsons are very reputable young men, either one would make a fine husband for you, especially Thor”. Fleurs sighed at her mother's words.

She knew talking back would only lead to another fruitless argument so she forced herself to smile as she watched Asgardian scenery pass by. The golden buildings blinded her, so did the overall brightness of the reflecting surfaces, it was awful. 

Alfheim was much more...warm, the buildings were more natural, made of wood, and covered in plants. They almost blended in with the floral rich environment, it was especially beautiful during spring. The countless breeds of wildflowers would make the entire realm smell like pure heaven. As a child she spent hours frolicking through the fields and as an adult, she adored reading under one of the trees or just lay amongst the blossoms. She especially loved the countless meadows that surrounded her family's castle. All kinds of flowers grew there, lavender, daisy, violet, magnolia, and hundreds more. She enjoyed sketching flowers in her notebook and later pressing them between the pages of worn-out books that were collecting dust in her mother’s library so she could admire their beauty anytime she desired.

“How long will you two stay Mother?”. Fleur asked, nervous to be left alone in the unknown kingdom.

“Just for tonight, we’ll leave right after dawn”. Her mother replied, squeezing her daughter's hand in an attempt to comfort her. 

“Don’t worry Fleur, they’ll be good to you”. Her father chimed in, feeling the carriage come to a stop. 

Looking out at the palace Fleur felt dread wash over her. Her stomach began to hurt and breathing suddenly felt much harder, she didn’t want to leave the carriage, she wanted to go home, walk through her garden, and braid the flowers into a delicate crown and bracelet.

She looked at her mother, begging with her big honey brown eyes. The queen shook her head firmly and stepped outside with her husband. Fleur took a deep breath, steadied herself, and slowly climbed out.

The golden light reflected from her porcelain skin and made her hair glow like fire, from the distance she could see the blonde prince stiffen. She was glad for being a light elf, she could see the reaction of each person clearly and Thor was a bit surprised by her. Odin and Frigga smiled, though it seemed more genuine on the woman's face, lastly there was a fourth person, a woman with shoulder-length black hair and green armor, Fleur didn't recognize her but she seemed to be just as surprised as Thor. With hesitance, she followed her parents as they closed the distance between them and the Asgardians.

Odin placed his hand on his chest and leaned forward courteously. “Welcome to our kingdom, we are deeply honored by your visit”. 

Queen  Azalea returned the gesture before reaching her arm out to her side, Fleur understood the silent command and took her mother's outstretched hand to be led forward.

“All-mother, All-father, prince Thor and prince Loki, we would like to introduce our daughter; princess Fleur”. She took a curtsy and looked at Thor. He had a calm, semi cocky smile on his face as he greeted her as his father had.

“It is a pleasure meeting you princess”. 

“You too my prince”. She replied with a forced smile. 

She then turned to the black-haired woman where Loki was supposed to be. Unsure of what was going on she hesitantly bowed and looked back up at her. The woman chuckled, a deep smooth sound as she returned the gesture from Thor, though she had her hand stretched out towards Fleur. Confused she took it just to feel soft lips plant a kiss on the back of her hand. 

“I’m afraid your parents weren’t aware of my changed title, I’m princess Loki, my dear”. She mused, gently letting go of Fleur’s hand.

Fleur felt her breath hitch in her chest, heat was spreading over her face, and to the tip of her pointy ears, Loki was a woman? It took her a moment to remember that Loki was a shapeshifter and must have changed not too long ago. Looking over her face with deep interest she realized just how beautiful she was. Her dark raven hair contrasted starkly with her pale complexion and bright green eyes, she had high cheekbones and a defined jawline that made her look rather intimidating. Not wanting to be rude by staring she averted her gaze. 

Loki on the other hand let her eyes roam over the young elf. She admired the dozens of freckles splattered over Fleur’s face, down her cleavage and bare arms, she had never seen someone be completely covered in them, no one on Asgard looked like her and it fascinated the young goddess.

“I’m looking forward to getting to know you, princess”.

She mused, taking her place next to her brother again.

Thor himself eyed the elven woman closely, he had to admit, she was gorgeous and he wouldn’t be opposed to marrying her. 

Fleur quietly looked around the palace, the imposing size of the halls, the cold stone, and the echoing of their feet against the floor made her feel small, like a frightened child lost in the dark woods, prepared to be devoured by wolves. The beasts in question were right behind her, their eyes drinking in the sight of their prey that was now caught in their territory. Nothing could ever make her feel welcome inside this dark, golden prison and she knew that if she didn’t marry Thor she’d just get sent away to the next set of ferocious beings that couldn’t wait to destroy her. The thought brought tears to her eyes but she willed them away, there was nothing that could be done.

“We have prepared dinner, although if you rather retire for the night we’d understand, after all, you’ve been traveling all day”. Frigga said with a calm smile.

Whilst Fleur would have preferred to just lock herself away for the night she realized that she won’t see her parents after tonight again. Despite the hatred, she held towards them for being the reason for her predicament she hated the thought of being abandoned even more.

“I’d love to join for dinner, mother, father, may I?”. She asked quietly.

Her parents agreed and decided to eat themselves. 

Odin and king Aldon sat at the head of the table, their wifes next to them as they conversed about possibilities Fleur’s and Thor’s marriage could bring. Said blonde prince was meanwhile talking to a group of people clad in armor and weapons, Fleur assumed them to be either warriors or high regarded guards, given their allowance to dine with the royal family. She noted a woman amongst them, she seemed to seek out eye contact with Thor and laughed a bit harder than the other’s when he told a joke. 

“Princess you’ve barely eaten, are you feeling ill?”. 

Momentarily caught off guard, Fleur gasped and turned to who addressed her. Loki was looking at her with a concerned frown. The elf shook her head, forcing a polite smile onto her face as she dug her fork into a small portioned piece of roasted meat. At least the food was very similar to what she was used to at home.

“No, I am alright, just a bit tired. Thank you for your concern, your highness”. Loki smiled at that.

“I know this must be rather unnerving for you, having to leave your realm and be thrown into a completely new environment with people you don’t know”.

Fleur grimaced slightly, was her discomfort really this apparent? Had the other’s noticed it as well?

“I’m sorry, I don’t mean to insult or seem ungrateful for your hospitality”. 

Loki shook her head and took a sip of wine.

“It’s perfectly fine my dear, don’t worry about impressions, I just happen to be more perceptive than my family. If you’d like I can show you the palace tomorrow. Thor will be a way to train with the warriors anyways”. She pointed to her brother and the guilde as she said this.

Fleur felt herself relax slightly. The prospect of at least getting to see the place she’d be forced to live in for a while with Loki didn’t seem too bad. If Fleur was being honest to herself she would go as far as to say that she felt more comfortable with Loki than she was with Thor, though that hardly made sense, considering she hadn’t even properly talked to either of them.

The thought barely left her mind before loud shouts erupted from the group. Thor was tightly clenching his goblet, barely able to contain his booming laughter whilst slapping the back of the red-haired bearded man who was coughing forcefully, probably choking on his drink. He stopped eventually to join in with the other’s, his laugh overpowering the rest easily. Fleur tried to ignore their shouting but the loud noises hurt her sensitive hearing, elves had better senses than Asgardians and preferred the calm and quiet. She glanced at her parents who were trying not to cringe themselves.

“My lady, may I escort you to your room? I think you should rest”. 

Loki asked, placing her hand on Fleur’s freckled shoulder. The elf looked at the woman startled. Loki removed her hand and for a moment Fleur felt disappointed, she didn’t mind the contact and even noted just how soft and light her hand had felt.

Fleur nodded and stood up from her seat. She walked to the head of the table, taking a courtesy.

“Thank you for the delicious dinner, I shall retire for the night”.

“Of course, Loki, please show the princess her room”. Odin demanded calmly, turning his attention to his daughter who in response offered her arm for Fleur to take.

Looking at her parents one last time she grabbed onto Loki’s bicep, noting the defined muscle under her leathered attire, and walked out of the dining hall. This was nothing new to her, it had been no different in Vanaheim where she was courted by a baron. He had been much older than her, a brute with distinct ideals of how his ideal marriage was to be. Luckily for Fleur her mother was against the marriage, seeing how repulsed her daughter was by this man-made her realize that she couldn’t let him have his way with her little flower. At least this time Fleur felt safe, well as safe as she could feel in these circumstances. 

The two women walked in comfortable silence, the only sound audible were their footsteps echoing through the spacious palace. Now that the sun had set it felt even more intimidating than before, sure the halls were illuminated by candlelight but it didn’t change the lack of familiarity and comfort.

“You know, in Alfheim our palace is built into the oldest tree on our realm? It was hollowed out by my ancestors in a way that wouldn’t kill the roots or disturb its growth. No stone walls or marble floors, just wood and the magic of my folk”. 

“I see, I’ve been to Alfheim before but only to accompany my father or Thor during war briefings or transactions. I never got to see anything beyond these brief visits”. Loki sighed, she would have loved to converse with the elves, they were masters in magic, not to mention their rich literature and deep history.

Fleur looked up at the aesir with a smile.

“Oh I’m certain you would enjoy it, your highness, I brought books with me, I can show them to you if you’d like!”.

The black-haired woman smiled, as she stopped in front of a dark wooden door.

“This is your room, mine is just four doors down the corridor on the left, you can’t miss it. Just knock if you need anything, I’m happy to help you out with any needs you might have”.

Her words came out in a husky voice, deeper and smoother than how she had previously talked. It sent a chill down Fleur’s spine and she grasped for the silver doorknob.

“Thank you, Princess, I’ll try my best to remember that. I shall see you tomorrow”.

Fleur didn’t understand why she suddenly felt so...flustered? Nervous? She wasn’t sure what to name her current emotions but she knew that she was feeling very warm and oddly excited.

Loki chuckled.

“Goodnight my dear, oh and there’s no need for you to be so formal with me. You can just call me Loki”.

With that she began walking away before she was out of earshot however the elf replied;

“Oh, in that case, please call me Fleur instead of my titles!”.

Loki smiled to herself and turned to look over her shoulder as she kept walking.

“Of course Fleur, until tomorrow then”.

Not wanting to look away from Loki the young woman turned the doorknob and walked into her room backward, trying to draw it out as long as she could until she eventually shut the door behind herself. The way her name fell from Loki’s black lips still ringed in her ears pleasantly whilst she changed for the night. Gently tracing the bedsheets with her fingers Fleur couldn’t help but think about the way Loki had smiled earlier, the way her green eyes lit up in eagerness when she had mentioned the books reminded Fleur of the morning dew sparkling in the sun after a rainy night. A smile stretched on her face as she closed her eyes and let sleep take her, actually wanting tomorrow to come instead of dreading it, wanting to learn more about the black-haired goddess.


	2. Chapter 2

Fleur woke up to the feeling of sun rays beaming onto her face, instinctively she tried to hide herself by covering her head with the lilac covers, the sweet scent of freshly picked lavender engulfed her. It felt comforting, like home, it felt like a trick. With a sigh Fleur lifted the blanket away from her body, squinting when the light hit her eyes. 

That’s right, she wasn’t on Alfheim, she was on Asgard but that didn’t explain where the surprisingly strong smell came from. Still confused from having just been woken she looked around her room, this was the first time she got the chance to properly inspect it, yesterday she just wanted to rest and couldn’t care less so when she realized that the interior was actually rather cozy she was pleasantly surprised. The room had been sparsely decorated, besides a light brown vanity with her hairbrush, accessories and drawing utensils, a pinewood bookshelf with matching wardrobe and nightstand there were only a few pictures of different sceneries hung on the antique pink walls. As her mind got clearer she suddenly noticed a vase on her nightstand with a bouquet of purple flowers, that’s where the scent was coming from. Carefully she picked them up and breathed in, they had to be cut not too long ago, had the servants put them in her room yesterday and she was just too tired to realize? As she sat them back down she noticed a small note in the bouquet.

May this small fragment of comfort make you irradiate the magic of your folk with a smile

There was no signature or any form of indication who they were from, though she doubted that the king or queen were behind this, let alone Thor, that only left her parents and Loki. However the way the card was worded she suspected it to have been from the later, her parents wouldn’t have been this formal. Reading the note over again she realized that she wanted it to be Loki who got her the flowers. It was a thoughtful gesture, even if it seemed small and insignificant it meant a lot to Fleur, it gave her a fragment of home. 

A knock snapped her out of her thoughts.

“Milady? I was sent to tell you that breakfast will be ready in an hour”.

Fleur stood up, stretching her slender arms over her head.

“Thank you, I shall be ready by then”. She called back, making her way over to the wardrobe.

Shifting through the various tunics, pants, shirts she decided on one of her favorite dresses. It was a cream-colored mid-calf chiffon dress with delicate little flowers embroidered and color-coordinated sandals. She looked at herself in the mirror, gently reaching for the curls that had gotten messed up in her sleep, with a small motion she gave them their previous form back. She suddenly felt self-conscious, what did people on Asgard wear? Even though Loki was a woman she dressed pretty manly, then again maybe what she wore was considered neutral, the royal family certainly didn’t deem it unusual, she wished her family wasn’t that strict on the female dress code on court. She didn’t mind wearing dresses but sometimes she envied the boys, they weren’t required to look flawless at all times. Frigga had worn a long dress the night before with golden accessories but she was the queen, would the same rules apply to her as well? She groaned why had no one bothered to tell her anything about this forsaken realm before? She took a deep breath, she was most likely overthinking but she couldn’t afford to offend the court.

As she inspected herself a memory came to her;  
“If you need anything my room is four doors down the corridor on the left, you can’t miss it”

She hesitated. Loki had said she could come to her for any reason but this seemed so silly, would she even acknowledge her? Fleur decided it was worth a try, it wasn’t like she could ask anyone else about this, hopefully, Loki would understand, she had seemed kind enough yesterday.

With all the courage she could muster Fleur decided to knock on the huge black door, that’s probably what she had meant with “you can't miss it”.

“Who is it?”. Surprisingly Loki's voice didn’t seem to be muffled by the, what Fleur assumed to be, thick wood.

“It’s me, Fleur. I’m sorry to disturb you this early in the morning but I was wondering if you could-”. Before she could even finish her sentence she felt the door open.

Caught off guard she stumbled forward slightly.

“I’ll be right with you, close the door for me will you?”. Unsure from where Loki’s voice was coming from Fleur looked around the room, pushing the door shut again.

Looking around she noted how much bigger her room was, no surprise there, she was the princess after all but the interior was shockingly dark. Deep green walls that at first glance looked coal-black, various herbs and plants were hung up on them and gave the atmosphere a light smell. A big canopy bed with drapes was the only thing that wasn’t as dreary colored, the blankets were a lighter shade of green, Fleur was beginning to see a pattern in Loki’s style choices. Lightly running her fingers over the intricate carvings of her closet Fleur noted that both the huge window blinds and the door to what she guessed to be the balcony were shut, someone obviously didn't like the sun. The idea of a grumpy Loki shutting the curtains made her laugh.

“Care to tell me what you find amusing my dear?”.

Startled by the sudden voice Fleur spun around just to be inches away from Loki’s bent down face. Flustered she took a step backward, how did she not hear her approach? The young elf had been so shocked by her sudden companion that she had failed to realize that the black-haired woman wasn’t wearing anything from her waist up, her damp hair dripping onto her bare shoulders, the droplets running down her muscular back and her chest. Feeling every part of her body heat up Fleur immediately spun around, trying to shield the bright red tips of her ears.

Loki laughed.

“What’s wrong? Have you never seen another woman’s bosom before?”.

“No! Elves are very modest, we don’t undress anywhere but our private rooms!”. She rushed the words out, not wanting to trip over them.

“Oh, my dear it’s the same here, though to be honest I’ve seen women of all shape and size before and lost my sense of concealment. Not to mention that as a shapeshifter I have a unique relationship with my body, however, I do apologize if I made you uncomfortable”. Hearing the remorse in Loki’s voice made Fleur feel guilty, this was her room after all, and if Loki desired to walk around with her chest free then who was she to tell her no?

“You did not...You simply caught me off guard”. Fleur explained, turning around again to see the goddess now fully clothed in her leather armor.

Fleur, much to her own confusion, felt slightly disappointed by this but that changed when she realized how tight this outfit actually was, every single defined muscle was clearly pressing against the fabric, showing just how strong the woman was. It impressed Fleur, elves all tended to be small and dainty, even the tallest of her kind barely reached six-foot, Loki was easily taller than that she was practically towering over her.

“What was it that you wanted to see me for anyway?”.

Fleur haltered before speaking up.

“Do I look good? I mean have I dressed appropriately or should I change?”.

Loki looked at her dumbfounded, her brows raised in confusion. Of course, she looked beautiful.

“You needn't worry my dear you look lovely”. She said with a warm smile.

Fleur felt relieved, glad that the princess seemed pleased with her choice of clothing.

“Thank you, so do you”. 

A smirk spread on Loki's face for a quick moment but as quick as it had appeared it had left again, making way for a calm expression instead.

“You really don’t have to worry about our customs. Now come, the sooner we start breakfast the sooner I can show you around”.

As the two of them were walking towards the dining room they were joined by Thor who was rubbing his temples with a pained facial expression.

“How much mead did you have this time you oath?”. Loki said with a chuckle, watching her brother's discomfort in amusement.

Thor shrugged, waving off the comment with an eye roll. He instead turned his head to the elf, mustering the best smile he could offer in his hungover state. He didn’t remember much from yesterday other than her arrival and Volstagg choking on his beverage, it dawned on him then that he hadn’t seen Fleur after that, nor his sister for that matter.

“Milady may I ask why you left the feast early yesterday?”.

“Oh, I was simply tired, your highness, I hadn’t slept well the night before so I was exhausted”. 

Thor hummed in acknowledgment.

“I understand, perhaps once my head is cleared up you can join me and my friends for combat training later?”. 

Fleur was about to deny his request but before she could even open her mouth she saw out of the corner of her eyes how Loki’s face seemed to become more serious as she looked at her brother.

“I’m already showing her around today, I don’t think she’ll have time to join”.

Loki was flat out glaring at her brother who in turn did the same. Fleur felt uncomfortable, she didn't want to be the reason the two siblings were fighting.

“Maybe I can try to do both? We have the entire day after all”. She spoke up, stepping between the two.

Loki sighed and reluctantly nodded, Thor grinned in triumph.

“Great, maybe Loki can join as well, she’s very talented in hand to hand combat and sword fighting”. 

The black-haired woman shrugged as they entered the dining hall, giving her parents a nod of acknowledgment before sitting on the far end of the table, her arms crossed over her chest in annoyance. Of course, he had to interfere with her plans, not that it mattered, it wasn’t like Thor knew anything about courting. Well maybe that was a lie, he did know how to talk to women and men, but he doubted that her brother was Fleur’s type, at least she hoped so.

The elf sat down next to Loki, reaching for the bowl of fruit and freshly baked bread she tried to engage a conversation with the older prince who sat across from her.

“What is your weapon of choice in combat my prince? I know you’re worthy of Mjolnir but you must have other fighting techniques”.  
Thor thought for a moment, ever since he first held the hammer he hadn’t really fought with anything else, why would he, Mjolnir was after all superior to any other weapon he ever swung.

“Well to be honest milady I have come to rely on Mjolnir but if it wasn’t available I’d say a battleax”.

“I see, you must like heavier equipment then, more force than agility”. She stated, slicing the cheese block on her plate in small pieces.

Thor nodded, somewhat intrigued about why this rather dainty woman knew about different weight classes.

“The elves prefer archery and swords, am I correct?”. Loki asked with a raised brow.

She had seen the elven warriors when she visited Alfheim a few decades ago. Their armor was light, crafted from silver with leather underneath. She was particularly invested in their blades, however, delicately crafted and infused with magic just like their arrows. Some had a poisonous coating that would paralyze even an aesir or giant, others would leave burn marks by merely grazing the metal. Loki had no doubt about why the elves hadn’t been attacked in centuries, they kept to themselves, never attacked, and generally tried to uphold the peace in the realms they were aligned with.

“Yes, our kind isn’t very physically strong but we are extraordinarily fast, agile, and have keen eyesight, once we have a target we won’t miss”.

It was Odin who spoke up next, much to Fleur's surprise he looked at her with deep interest.

“Perhaps you could show my children the way of archery, I’m afraid there is no master to teach them”.

Fleur smiled nervously, sure she was perfectly capable of handling a bow, as all elves were, but teaching? It wasn’t like they could learn the elven way, their bodies simply weren't cut out for it but she could at least show them the basics or demonstrate what she had to offer. 

“Maybe that way we could have an advantage towards the jötuns”. Thor quietly offered which earned him a dirty glare from his father.

“For the last time, we have a treaty with the frost giants and you shan’t do anything to break it, are we clear son?”.

The atmosphere on the table had shifted, a thick tension was now resting heavily in the air. Odin especially seemed affected by this, his gaze was still fixed on Thor who was now clenching his hand around his goblet.

“Stop this foolish behavior, both of you, we have a guest and you are being rude”. It was queen Frigga that spoke up, her gentle voice took a stern edge as she addressed her husband and son.

Both men shrunk back into their seats quietly.

“Please forgive them, as I’m sure you know Asgard has an arrangement with Jötunheim, though lately, things have been difficult though that is nothing you have to worry about”.

Fleur nodded, of course, she knew. After centuries of war and terror, there was finally peace in the nine realms due to the giant's agreement to Odin's conditions of an alliance. Long before that, the giants had tried invading other kingdoms, including Alfheim. It had been devastating, the damage caused by the icy creatures took over a millennium to heal, they had destroyed fields, buildings, and parts of the ecosystem, some were still recovering. Of course, this had happened long before Fleur’s birth but the stories were still being passed on as a cautionary tale and as a reminder that Alfheim could overcome even the biggest hardships. Her parents had always told her tales about the war, how the archers had ambushed the giants, and thanks to their magic managed to defeat them. As a little girl Fleur had been terrified of the jötuns, she still was but she now had a better understanding of the events that had taken place to have led up to the tragedy. 

“We should start training soon, my friends will arrive shortly”. Thor interrupted her train of thought.

Fleur agreed and finished her meal. 

After being introduced to the warrior threes Thor asked her to demonstrate her skills.

“I wonder what an elven can show us about fighting”. Fandral laughed, watching the young woman smooth her fingers over her dress, replacing it with tight fitted leather trousers and a long-sleeved blouse, her waist protected by a comfortable corset.

“You’d be surprised by how little your folk knows about war Milord”. 

She retorted, inspecting the bows that were lined up on a rack before her, none of them were light enough for her to use the way she learned. With annoyance, she grabbed the finest and walked towards Loki.   
“You’ve seen the elven archers, can you please help me turn this bow into one like theirs? This metal is unfamiliar to me so I can’t influence it”. 

Loki nodded, clasping her hands over Fleurs as she pictured the desired outcome. Fleur flushed, her breath catching in her throat as she felt Loki’s seidr flow from her warm palms. A powerful feeling surged through the elf as the bow began to reshape and lose its bulkiness alongside the unnecessary additional weight. Fleur watched in amazement as runes crafted themselves into the changing object until it stopped in her hands. The bow was perfect, if Fleur hadn’t known better she wouldn’t have known that it wasn't originally elf made.

“Incredible, you even got the carvings right”. She whispered, still stunned by the display.

Loki grinned, feeling an immense amount of pride and satisfaction swell in her chest. 

“Thank you, my dear, now show these oafs how it’s done”.

“Hey, I heard that!”. Fandral yelled, much to the amusement of the two women.

Fleur grinned and looked around. 

The training grounds were surrounded by trees and rocks, she assumed that they were at the edge of the woods, how convenient to know that it was only a short walking distance from behind the palace. She grinned before walking to one of the tallest trees, she ran her fingers over the dark bark, feeling the magic within its core.

“I’ll give you a headstart of two minutes, you may hide in the bushes as you please”. She noticed the confusion of Thor and the warriors, this will be fun, she thought before effortlessly climbing onto the tree. She heard the gasps and exclamations of the people below her as she gingerly let her hands smooth over a thin branch that immediately shifted into an arrow. Without hesitation, she shot it before Fandral's foot. The man gasped and took a step back.

“Don't worry, if these hit you, they’ll evaporate on impact, if I manage to hit every single one of you in under ten minutes I win, if one of you manages to get me you win, now go”.

She watched the group split up and run into different sections of the forest, she patiently conjured more arrows and set off deeper into the forest where she listened for any sounds that were too heavy to come from an animal. It didn’t take long until she found Volstagg who had been hiding behind a massive boulder that was surrounded by thick bushes. Fleur aimed at his back and shot. Volstagg yelled out in shock before laughing loudly.

“She’s fast, you better have a smart hiding spot!”. He called out before walking back to the training area.

She continued jumping from the tree to tree, occasionally using her magic to make her seem like part of them. 

Hogun was the next to go, he took it with good sportsmanship and seemed genuinely impressed. Soon after that, she had found Thor who was hiding out with Sif, although catching up to the woman was significantly more difficult, she was very agile and even made her way up to one of the treetops but unfortunately for her, Fleur was faster.

“Not bad! None of the boys were ever able to defeat me this fast!” She grinned, climbing back down to join the others. 

Fleur had saved Fandral for last, letting him hear his friends be taken out one by one. She perched herself onto one of the pines and listened for anything, her eyes rapidly shifting from one spot to the next until she spotted the blonde man, his back was turned towards her and he hadn’t noticed her yet. Quietly she reached for an arrow but was stopped by a warm hand clamped over her wrist and mouth, she wanted to stream but a soft familiar voice whispered in her ear.

“Caught you”.


	3. Chapter 3

A shiver ran down Fleur’s spine at the warm exhale that grazed her ear, she recognized who it was immediately, and the fear that made her heart flutter depleted and gave way to shock, how did Loki find her? Also, when did she start following her?

“I’ll remove my hand now, don’t scream or that idiot will certainly hear us”. Fleur nodded and was released from Loki’s hold.

Still confused the elf turned around, Loki was perched on the same branch as she was, her long legs elegantly balancing the dark-haired woman who had one hand on the branch above them to further stabilize her. She was grinning, proud at herself for being able to catch Fleur, she knew she had won the game but she wouldn’t give her brother nor the warriors, who contributed nothing to her success, this satisfaction, she’d lie to them, tell them she was just lucky to be caught last.

Slowly Loki reached forward, taking Fleur’s chin between her thumb and pointer finger to gently redirect her eyes back to Fandral who was still hidden behind a thick bush. Fleur felt her entire face become warm, it only worsened when she felt Loki’s muscular arm take hers and pull back the bow before carefully letting go, though the elf knew she was still right behind her to get a better view. 

Taking a deep breath to steady herself she aimed and let the arrow cut through the air, hitting Fandral at the back of his head. He immediately turned around, stunned by the sudden impact though he couldn’t hide the frown on his face, he had been too naive and underestimated the young woman, taking his loss he quickly jogged back to the rest with a bruised ego. It made Fleur grin, most people tended to not take elves seriously, especially non-warriors were considered to be helpless, weak, and vulnerable, it was mostly due to the lack of physical bulk and their kind-hearted nature.  
She jumped down the tree, landing on her feet as if she weighed nothing more than a feather, Loki followed, though her landing was more impactful.

“I must say, I’m very impressed you managed to find me, how did you do it”. The elf asked, starting to walk back to the others. 

Loki chuckled, putting her index finger in front of her Onix black lips in a shushing motion.

“A smart sorceress never reveals her secrets, my dear, let’s just say I’m known in the way of discovering what wants to stay hidden”.

The answer left Fleur dissatisfied but intrigued, of course, she assumed that the goddess had used her seidr though she had never met anyone with that particular magic before, how was she supposed to know what was possible to the black-haired woman or not?

“Are there other sorcerers in your family Loki?”.

“My mother, she’s an incredibly talented woman and my tutor. When I was younger we’d spent hours reading through books, practicing and experimenting with potions”. Loki said with a smile that reached her forest eyes.

Fleur couldn’t help but smile herself.

The training grounds were now in viewing distance and Loki sprinted forward, exclaiming her loss to her brother and his friends who had begun their sword training. Fleur grinned as she noticed that Fandral was still seemingly offended by his defeat, sharpening his sword in a hunched over position with a frown. Volstagg paid no attention to him as he took one of the axes from the rack, one that looked so heavy that Fleur felt as though it would crush her if she even attempted to hold it. Thor and Hogun had taken to sparring whilst Sif seemed to practice new combat techniques by herself. Unsure of what to do with herself Fleur hesitantly walked up to Volstagg who held his ax high in the air before bringing it down onto a solid tree trunk, he had probably brought it with him as he went back earlier. The wood split clean down the middle and hit the ground with a thud. Seemingly intimidated, yet impressed, by his strength she turned back to Thor and Hogun, what they were doing seemed less dangerous to be around as a bystander.

Thor immediately turned to her once he noticed her presence, not stopping his movements whatsoever he still miraculously managed to block Hoguns punches.

“Lady Fleur, what gives me the honor, have you grown bored of my sister's company?”. He asked with a grin that only widened when he noticed Loki shoot him a dirty glare over her shoulders.

Fleur shook her head. She knew this was only sibling banter yet she felt as though she should defend the woman’s name.

“No your highness, I enjoy Loki’s company greatly, I can promise you that”. She couldn’t see it but now Loki gave her brother a look that screamed; “Take that”.

Thor frowned. He wasn’t bitter about the whole situation per say, after all, it had only been a night since the princesses arrival, Loki just so happened to have spoken to her sooner than he had, which he could admit to himself, was his mistake, one that he would try to fix.

Signaling Hogun to stop he turned his full attention to the elf and finally used the moment to get a better closer look at her, he was ashamed to say that after last night's drinking he had forgotten a lot of the details he had noticed when she first stood before him.

“I’m glad, it’s good to know that she can be nice if she wants to be. Though I want to know how you feel, is your room to your liking?”.

“Yes my prince, it is, although very different from what I’m used to”.

Thor hummed in acknowledgment.

“I see, though surely you can admit that Asgard is beautiful no?”.

The elf looked down, she didn’t want to risk offending Thor so she nodded.

Talking to the blonde man for some reason felt difficult, Fleur couldn’t say why exactly but there was a feeling of discomfort in her chest, maybe it was her nerves? This was the first time they were talking to each other so it would make sense to feel apprehensive, right? 

Nervously she shifted on her feet, unsure of what to say next. 

“As much as I’d like to continue our talk I must continue training, I think Hogun is getting impatient”.

Fleur thanked the stars mentally and politely excused herself. She was mad at herself for failing to talk to the prince, it should have been simple. But something inside of her felt weird, she couldn’t say what for sure, a dull ache seemed to linger in her body and she felt sick to her stomach. She had felt this way before, she recognized it from the time the baron tried to court her, that sense of uneasiness and dread. With a sigh she decided to leave the group alone and walked back to the castle, it wasn’t as though she could do anything else. She certainly didn’t want to train with the guilde, she wasn’t nearly as practiced in their fighting skills and would only feel patronized by her easy defeat or them going easy on her. She thought about her friends on Alfheim, they’d often go explore the deep forests together, practice their archery or combat or simply ride their stags until the sunset. Tears gathered in Fleur’s eyes at the thought of never seeing them again. She had known Dahlia, Aerin, and Estel since her childhood, they were inseparable, at least they used to be until the difference in their monarchical standing became too apparent. They knew that at some point their duties and responsibilities would set them on different paths. 

Despite Fleur being her parent's only child she never was given many duties in her realm, there wasn’t anything major for her to do despite appearing for court meetings, organizing galas, and attending festivities.   
Both Dahlia and Aerin were daughters of knights whilst Estel’s parents were members of the council. Their friendship had been encouraged by everyone and flourished quickly. The four girls were like sisters, sharing all their secrets with each other, crying, laughing, and growing up together for over five hundred years. They did everything together but then, as they all became of age things became different and suddenly they barely saw each other anymore. 

The elf hadn’t even realized that she was crying until she heard herself sniffle. Hurriedly she whipped the tears from her cheeks and eyes, she couldn’t let anyone see her like this. 

Angry at herself for letting her emotions win she sprinted to the nearest tree, climbing onto the highest branch she could safely sit on, at least up there no one would bother her.

She sat there for a while, enjoying the calm breeze that rustled through the leaves, listening to the birds around her chirp, watching the clouds move with the wind, it calmed her, and eventually, she felt ready to face the Asgardians again.

The rest of the day went by rather uneventfully. Thor insisted on joining the two women for the palace tour, much to the goddesses annoyance that she hadn’t even tried to hide. Fleur had tried to memorize everything but there were far too many doors, corridors, and staircases, though she made sure to not forget the route to the royal library and garden. She just wasn’t fully there, her mind still tormenting her with the knowledge of her friend's absence, she wondered what they were up to. Were they thinking about her too? Or were they busy with their own responsibilities? She wished she could ignore the ache in her chest but it simply wouldn’t go away, not during lunch, nor dinner, nor during a hot bath that had been adorned with flower petals and sweet-smelling elixirs. Seeing Thor's friends today, how they all laughed together, smiled, and enjoyed each other’s company reminded her of just how lonely she was. Not only were her parents gone but she had no one to talk to, her only ray of hope was that her stag would soon be brought to the palace. It was a wonderful beast, enormous in size like all deers were on alfheim. Whilst they had horses they were usually only used for carriages or transports of all kinds, she missed him, dearly.

That night sleep didn’t come easy to her, she was tossing and turning in her sheets, trying to smell the lavender to lull herself into rest but to no avail. Both her heart and mind were constantly bombarding her with memories and aches until she couldn’t take it anymore. She curled into herself and stained the pillow with her tears, careful to not make a single sound until she was so exhausted from the emotional unloading that she finally succumbed to sleep.


End file.
